By the time he was 30, Rick Ridgeway had gone on more adventures than most people do in an entire lifetime. Called "the real Indiana Jones" by Rolling Stone Magazine, Ridgeway doesn't shy away from unknown territory. In fact, he seeks it.

Ridgeway is recognized as one of the world's foremost mountaineers. He was part of the 1978 team that were the first Americans to summit K2, the world's second-highest mountain, and he has climbed new routes and explored little-known regions on six continents.

Ridgeway is also an environmentalist, writer, photographer, filmmaker and businessman. For fifteen years beginning in 2005 he oversaw environmental affairs at the outdoor clothing company Patagonia. Before joining Patagonia, he was owner/president of Adventure Photo & Film, a leading stock photo and film agency. He has authored six books and dozens of magazine articles and produced or directed many documentary films. He was honored by National Geographic with their Lifetime Achievement in Adventure Award, and was awarded the Lowell Thomas Award by the Explorers' Club. Ridgeway serves on the boards of Tompkins Conservation and the Turtle Conservancy. He lives in Ojai, California.